


Mistletoe

by BigOlNerd



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Kisses, F/M, Found Family, Holidays, M/M, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:22:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27820681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigOlNerd/pseuds/BigOlNerd
Summary: Set pre-Clockwork Princess. Holiday fluff with Jem, Tessa, and Will. Everyone's happy, no demons, no death, no curses.
Relationships: Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray/Will Herondale
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a lovely friend. This is my first TID fanfic, but I think it turned out well!

Tessa smiled at Jem gently, squeezing his arm where it was looped through hers. The gentle buzz of London life surrounded them. At first Tessa had only been able to note how different it was from New York, but now the sounds feel like home.   
“How decorated do you think the Institute is?” She asked, looking at the great stone building at the end of the street.   
“Going by the maniacal gleam in Gideon and Gabriel’s eyes and Will’s natural penchant for mischief, I imagine it is unrecognizable.” Jem grinned down at her, light eyes twinkling with a rare burst of energy.   
Tessa felt her cheeks warm and glanced away, appraising a dress in a shop window to avoid Jem seeing her embarrassment. Seeing him like this, alive and strong, made him outrageously beautiful, and she was worried that if she didn’t distract herself she would launch herself at him and make a spectacle in the middle of Fleet Street.   
“I suspect there will be copious amounts of mistletoe in every room.” Jem sounded amused, whether from the mistletoe or Tessa’s avoidance, she couldn’t tell. She dared to glance back at him, blushing deeper as she caught his eyes. Oh, he certainly knew the direction of her thoughts, at least.   
“Put up by whom, do you think?”   
Jem tipped his head back to study the sky, cane swinging uselessly at his side. The brisk weather seemed to do him good.   
“Everyone. I expect many people will put it up to catch others and wind up getting caught in it themselves.”   
Tessa huffed a little laugh, watching his profile. The winter breeze played with his hair, making little strands of quicksilver whip around his eyes. His eyes drifted shut, and she led him by his arm.   
“You are going to run into someone,” She said, maneuvering him around a group of giggling schoolchildren.   
“Not when I have you guiding me, Tess.”   
Tessa smiled. She loved the way he said her name. 

…

Inside the Institute was deliciously warm, the fireplace in the entranceway dispelling the chill from outside. Jem watched Tessa push back her hood and unbutton her coat. There were little snowflakes stuck in her eyelashes, and more snow clinging to her hair. She handed Sophie her coat, who moved to hang it on the rack. Tessa turned to Jem, noticing his gaze. She quirked a brow, and Jem smiled.   
“Your hair is coming down.”  
Tessa raised a hand to her elaborate knot, sighing when she found a large section of it hanging down her neck.   
“It’s all that wind.” She tried to tuck it up, but Jem reached out a hand.   
“I like your hair down.”   
It was true. Tessa almost always had her hair up, either in a braid to sleep in or up in some form of bun during the day. So when it was down, soft and straight, it was all he could do to not bury his hands in it. There was no one around now, so he curled some of it around his fingers. Tessa blushed deeply, ducking her head in that way she always did when he flirted with her.   
She pointed a finger at him when he laughed softly. “Your hair is wrecked, too.”   
“My hair is perfect, as always.” Tessa gave a little yelp, jerking away and turning to see who had spoken, but Jem knew who it was. Knew that voice better than his own.   
“Modest as ever, I see.” Jem turned to see Will Herondale leaning against the wall, looking smug.   
“I speak only the truth.”   
“Oh. Will.” Tessa relaxed slightly upon seeing who it was and smoothed a hand over her skirt. Jem stepped casually back, but Will held up a hand.   
“Please, don’t stop on my account. That looked rather fun.”   
“It was, thank you.” Tessa reached up and managed to tuck her hair back into some semblance of a bun. “And while I suspect it would be just as enjoyable with an audience, the others will be missing us.” She marched past Will, head high.   
Jem met Will’s eyes. Will smiled widely, running a hand through his hair.   
“I never thought I would meet a match for your wit,” Jem said, walking up to Will and grinning at him.   
“And I never thought I would meet a match for my looks, yet here the both of you stand.” Will flushed slightly, as though he hadn’t intended to say that. “In any case, Charlotte sent me to find you two.”   
“Congratulations on a job well done, then. Shall we?” Jem proffered his elbow, and with a laugh Will looped his arm through it. 

…

Dinner was loud, several fights broke out, and Jem had never been happier. Gideon and Gabriel were uncomfortably sitting next to each other, as far as they could get from Will. Charlotte looked delighted, and Henry had cleaned up at her insistence, wearing a dark blue waistcoat with no burns or chemical stains.   
Jem and Will had Tessa between them, and had been trading acerbic comments and food throughout the whole meal.   
With a great deal of wheedling, Charlotte had managed to convince Sophie, Bridget, and Thomas to sit with them, and Tessa, Cecily, and to everyone’s surprise, Gideon volunteered to bring up the food, to much protestations.   
The food itself was perfect. Ham, chicken, many different types of soups and meat pies, and most every other food Jem could think of had been spread out over their large dinner table, and Jem had thought himself full until Tessa and Gideon brought up the desserts. Will hadn’t stopped eating so far, filling his plate with something of everything and finishing it all, only pausing to trade yelled insults with Gabriel or compliment Tessa.   
If Jem loved Tessa’s hair (and everything else about her), he was obsessed with Will’s voice. For so many years, Will had only said cruel things, used sass and insults to keep people away. Now he knew his curse wasn’t real, Jem had become infatuated with Will saying kind things. Every time Will complimented someone, him or Tessa or anyone else, Jem fell a little more in love with him.   
Someone began tapping their glass, trying to be heard over the talking and laughing.   
“Excuse me! Hey!” It quieted, and everyone turned to look at Will, who was now standing. “I have a toast.” A groan went around the table, but Will kept talking. “Oh, hush. My toast is as follows.” He cleared his throat, looking slightly nervous. “A toast to old friends,” he raised his glass to Jem, who smiled softly. “To family,” He raised the glass to Cecily, then to Henry, who was distracted by something in his hands, and Charlotte, who put her hands over her heart and looked deeply honoured.   
“To those who were brave enough to tell me to watch my tongue,” He bowed his head to Sophie, who gave him a wry little grin. “To those who-” He voice caught, and he cleared his throat. “To those who believed in me.” He gestured to Tessa, who exhaled softly and looked very fond. “To the very welcome newcomers, and the ones who are getting there.” To Bridget, Thomas, Gideon, and then Gabriel, who looked slightly put out. Charlotte tsked. “And to those who are not able to admire my great wit and beauteous looks anymore.” He raised his cup viciously enough that a few drops spilled out, this time to the mantle of the fireplace where a delicate lace parasol sat. Everyone stopped smiling at that. Bridget, Thomas, Gideon, and Gabriel didn’t know the whole story, but they were evidently able to surmise.   
Will cleared his throat again and sat down, ignoring everyone and taking another bite of food. Jem could see Tessa put a hand on Will’s knee and murmur something, and Jem stretched out and placed an arm over Will’s chair, hand stroking Will’s back.   
“That was lovely, Will,” Charlotte said, smiling brightly. “On that note, I do believe I’m stuffed!”

…

Night had long since fallen. Jem was standing by the window, playing his violin. Tessa was watching him with a soft smile on her face. Will, stretched out on Jem’s bed, wondered how he had managed to have two of the most amazing people in the world fall in love with him. Tessa was wearing her nightgown, though she had a dressing gown wrapped tightly around herself so some of the shock was missing.   
“I have determined,” Will announced. “That American women are more modest than English ones.”   
He could see the corner of Jem’s smile as Tessa turned to look at him.   
“And how, pray tell, did you come to this conclusion?” I am very certain you are not going around contemplating the modesty of other American women, for that would be very stupid.” Jem’s little laugh was mostly hidden under the music, but Will knew Jem had laughed. “I am capable of great immodesty, Will Herondale.”   
“Oh?” Will sat up, heart racing far more than was reasonable. He gave a lazy smirk. “Prove it.”   
Jem hit the wrong note very abruptly, then resumed playing. Now, however, he was turned towards them.   
“I shall.” Tessa reached to the hem of her nightgown, and for a brief moment Will thought he was going to pass out. Jem looked much the same, and the notes were noticeably more sharp now. But all Tessa did was pull up her skirt enough to show off her bare ankles. “There. Do I belong in a den of iniquity?”   
Will’s eyes darted to meet hers, and then she was laughing so hard she fell over backwards. Will loved her laugh, loved watching her laugh.   
“You two!” She gasped out, clutching her sides. “Your faces!”   
The music faltered, and Will glanced over to see Jem staring at Tessa, a look of fond exasperation on his face.   
Someone knocked on the door, and Tessa sat up fast enough she almost catapulted off the bed. Jem set down his violin and went to go see who it was. Will heard Sophie’s voice, checking to make sure Jem didn’t require anything before bed. If Sophie was alarmed by Will and Tessa’s presence, she didn’t say anything, simply bid them goodnight.   
As Jem said his goodnights, Will nudged Tessa.   
“Jem is under the mistletoe,” he whispered.   
“Goodness, you put that stuff everywhere.” The three had already exchanged dozens of kisses throughout the night, thanks to the liberal use of it with the decorations, and there had been more than a few occasions where Cecily and Gabriel or Gideon and Sophie had been caught under it and conveniently found somewhere they had to be instantly.   
“I think it is a necessary part of holiday decorations.”   
Jem shut the door, and then Tessa had shoved herself up and crossed the room in a few short steps. As Jem turned around, Tessa caught his chin in her hand and kissed him.   
Jem looked rather startled, then put his arms around Tessa and closed his eyes. Will watched them, watched Tessa reach a hand up into Jem’s hair. He felt a sudden urge to have Jem’s hair in his hands, to have Tessa pressed up against him. He stood up and sauntered over to them, placing a hand on Tessa’s shoulder. She turned her head, smiling up at him.   
Will moved closer, wrapping his arms around Tessa. She laughed, and he moved his hand up to wrap around hers tangled in Jem’s hair.   
“Don’t pull my hair, you two.” Will laughed. “It’s easy to be amused when you are not in danger of having a bald spot.”   
Will’s other hand drifted up to cup Jem’s cheek, and Jem leaned into it a bit. He glanced at Tessa. Her eyes were closed, and a mix of fervent kissing and laughter had made her hair come down around her face. It was impossibly soft where it was pressed against his collarbone.   
“I thank the Angel every day that my curse wasn’t real, and that I was given a chance with the both of you,” Will whispered into the top of Tessa’s hair. “My Tess, my Jem.”


End file.
